Case Number 19420: Small Claims Court

MARGOT / THE ROYAL BALLET

The Charge

The glamorous, turbulent life of Britain's international ballet
superstar.

The Case

Margot was created as a television film for the BBC as part of a three
part series on "women we love." There certainly is no doubt why they
would pick this particular subject for adoration, since she had an amazing life.
It tells the almost unbelievable true story of prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn
(Anne-Marie Duff, The Last Station), a woman who at forty reinvigorated
her fame by dancing better than she ever had when she was half that age. This
never happens to dancers, who usually retire well before thirty, but Margot did
have some extreme inspiration along the way. First up, she was given a new
partner named Rudolph Nureyev (Michiel Huisman, The Young Victoria). He
was a gay Russian immigrant, but somehow managed to have a rather torrid affair
with Dame Margot. They both managed to reinvent dance with an equal emphasis on
male and female roles, and a sense of passion that was readable from the highest
balconies. Meanwhile Margot's rather wild husband is a Panamanian diplomat (Con
O'Neill, Telstar: The Joe Meek Story) who has just been shot, and so she
needs to support him financially. What's a girl to do? And so Margot danced her
ass off well into her sixties, and became the stuff legends are made of.

The film was obviously made on a budget, and it never quite captures the
magic of dance. But the performances are superior, and the story is strong
enough to captivate despite any limitations. Anne-Marie Duff is indeed forty,
and she appears to be as on top of her game as the ballerina she is playing. She
can't dance, but she certainly understands how to communicate to an audience the
passions of a woman who does. Both Michiel Huisman and Con O'Neill give
excellent support, and we even get a glimpse of legendary British actor Derek
Jacobi (I, Claudius) for good measure. The film gives us all the high
points of Margot Fonteyn, and schools us on why we should love her. She lived a
picture-perfect life for the public and press, but behind the scenes she had a
wild, scandalous ride that made her fascinating.

The widescreen transfer is just fine without any hiccups or complaints from
me. There's a nice Dolby Digital three channel mix which concentrates itself in
the front speakers to make it sound more stereo. There's not much special until
you get to a very cool extra. The DVD itself is bare bones, but it does come
with a marvelous bonus disc. On the second DVD is over two hours of the real
Margot Fonteyn dancing in a bunch of filmed performances, released in 1960 as
The Royal Ballet. You could not ask for a better supplement, because it
gives us exactly what we need to see after watching the film. We get to see the
real Margot at 40 years old dancing in selections from Swan Lake,
Firebird, and Ondine. The only pity is that her male partner in
these is Michael Somes, but it's a rare glimpse at why Margot was a legend. She
easily eclipses anybody around her.

The film is a solid biopic of a remarkable woman; you have to give
Anne-Marie Duff a standing ovation and a huge bouquet of roses for taking on the
role with so much nerve and pluck. The DVD is a real joy when you consider not
only do you get a pretty nifty feature, but also a remarkable piece of history
in getting to see Margot Fonteyn dance some of her signature roles. If you're a
dance fan then this is one set that is easily a must-own. And for anybody who
may one day turn forty, this is perfect inspiration that there may be some late
blooms in there as well.

The Verdict

Not guilty of betraying a woman we all love. Margot dances along
nicely, and gives me hope for turning forty.